Typically, gas turbine engines include a compressor for compressing air, a combustor for mixing the compressed air with fuel and igniting the mixture, and a turbine blade assembly for producing power. Combustors often operate at high temperatures that may exceed 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit. Typical turbine combustor configurations expose turbine blade assemblies to these high temperatures. As a result, turbine blades must be made of materials capable of withstanding such high temperatures. In addition, turbine blades often contain cooling systems for prolonging the life of the blades and reducing the likelihood of failure as a result of excessive temperatures.
The hot combustion gases flow from the combustor and past the blades of the rotor assembly. The combustion gases cause the rotor assembly to rotate. Some of the combustion gases flow between the tips of the blades and the outer casing. Such fluids flowing between the tips of the blades and the outer casing result in losses and inefficiencies in the system.